Experience the Magic of Hiking in the Redwoods – Day 1

Walking among the giant trees is one thing, getting lost in an entire forest turned out to be another. We allowed two days in our itinerary to explore Redwoods Hiking and I wouldn’t change a thing. The following are the stops and trails I chose after extensive research and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to everybody else spending time in this enchanting place. 

Here is the link to the official Redwoods National and State Parks maps. https://www.nps.gov/redw/planyourvisit/maps.htm

Howling Hill Road in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park

As we were traveling from Oregon, the northern entrance of Howling Hill Road was our official first welcome and glimpse of the giant Redwood trees, what a greeting! This dirt road was well pounded and allowed us to drive right past some impressive Redwood stands and stumps. We parked along this road to enjoy two fantastic spots, our bumper practically kissing the trees on this tight and popular road.

Stout Grove

Our very first stop after entering Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park was Stout Grove. I call this area the “best bang for your buck” as this grove of Redwoods is so close together, you can see dozens of amazing trees with just a .6 mile loop walk. It’s also a highly accessible spot! The parking area is close by and the trail is very wide and smooth. We couldn’t stop looking up at all of these amazingly tall trees and everybody here was also in awe. Truly enjoying taking their time making the stroll around the grove. There are countless photo spot among the diverse trees, logs, stumps, and roots. 

Boy Scout Tree Trail 

This 5.3 mile out and back trail in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park is not to be missed. It took us 2.5 hours to complete, visiting both Fern Falls and the Boy Scout Tree located at the end of the trail. We only saw 10-15 other pairs or groups of hikers along the way. We started our hike in the mid afternoon. 

This meandering trail takes you through stunning groves and the first 1.5 miles down to the creek crossing is absolutely incredible. You pass by so many massive trees, each with their own unique characteristics. Plus, there are many fun elements of hiking here like ducking under fallen giants and walking across others that have created their own bridges. After the creek crossing, the Redwoods become less prominent and the vegetation becomes more lush. The Boy Scout Tree is one of the largest in circumference and is your reward toward the end of the trail, so don’t miss it! There’s a sign and the spur trail that takes you up a steep bank to see this named giant. We made it all the way to Fern Falls, the true trail end, where the water was flowing slowly. I nearly sat on a Banana Slug! 

Also check out Day 2 of Hiking in the Redwoods, featuring stops at Fern Canyon, Gold Bluffs Beach, Newton B, Drury Scenic Parkway, and the James Irvine Trail in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park.